NLog - Flexible and Structured Logging for various .NET Platforms
This report summarizes scanner evidence for NLog/NLog, a C# project with 6,547 GitHub stars. SynthScan examined 159,488 lines of code across 739 source files, recording 2020 pattern matches distributed across 6 syntactic categories. The legacy adjusted pattern signal is 13.7 (Moderate pattern signal); it is not an authorship estimate.
Use the findings to ask whether maintainers can explain intent, verify dependencies, simplify unnecessary scaffolding, and focus review effort. Risk Payload v1 adds ownership, supply-chain, over-engineering, and review-effort vectors when available. These are prompts for human verification, not probabilities, security findings, or measured maintenance costs.
Use each vector to guide manual verification of the underlying findings.
Can maintainers explain intent, assumptions, and trade-offs? 2000 finding(s).
Are imports declared and package/API names verified? 20 finding(s).
Are wrappers, guards, and repeated structures necessary? 0 finding(s).
Which changes need focused human review? 2020 finding(s).
This chart tracks the legacy adjusted pattern score across scan runs. Changes can reflect source changes, scan coverage, or detector/scoring versions; they do not measure AI adoption or prove that a team refactored code. Compare runs only when their scoring versions are compatible. The dashed line tracks the raw pattern-hit count.
Groups findings by configured severity weight. Severity is not a confidence estimate, security rating, or proof that a package is missing. Verify imports against the project's manifests and inspect each finding in its local design context.
This horizontal bar chart shows where configured pattern scores accumulate across directories. Treat the bars as locations to inspect, not as evidence of authorship or code quality. Use the file-level findings to decide whether a directory needs a focused ownership, dependency, complexity, or review check.
The scanner identified 2020 distinct pattern matches across 6 syntactic categories. Each entry below represents a discrete location in the source code where the engine recorded a detector match to inspect in context. Expand any category row to inspect the individual file paths, line numbers, code snippets, and the lexical context (CODE, COMMENT, or STRING) in which each match was detected.
Reading the findings table: The Severity column indicates the configured finding weight (CRITICAL / HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW). The Context column identifies whether the match occurred inside executable code, an inline comment, or a string literal — legacy comment-context matches receive a ×1.5 score weight. The ⚡ bolt icon marks clustered matches: three or more patterns within a 10-line window, each receiving an additional ×1.5 density multiplier under the legacy scoring model.
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | …de/src/NLog.SourceCodeTests/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs | 21 | // The following GUID is for the ID of the typelib if this project is exposed to COM | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/MakeNLogXSD/XsdFileGenerator.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/MakeNLogXSD/XsdFileGenerator.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/MakeNLogXSD/Program.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tools/MakeNLogXSD/Program.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.Benchmarks/Program.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.Benchmarks/Program.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | …og.Benchmarks/Targets/ColoredConsoleTargetBenchmark.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | …og.Benchmarks/Targets/ColoredConsoleTargetBenchmark.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/WhenFooFilter.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/WhenFooFilter.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/FooLayout.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/FooLayout.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/MyConditionMethods.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/MyConditionMethods.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/MyTarget.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/MyTarget.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/FooLayoutRenderer.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/SampleExtensions/FooLayoutRenderer.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.RegEx.Tests/RegexReplaceTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.RegEx.Tests/RegexReplaceTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.RegEx.Tests/ConditionEvaluatorTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.RegEx.Tests/ConditionEvaluatorTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.RegEx.Tests/ColoredConsoleTargetTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.RegEx.Tests/ColoredConsoleTargetTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | …s/NLog.Targets.AtomicFile.Tests/AtomicProcessRunner.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | …s/NLog.Targets.AtomicFile.Tests/AtomicProcessRunner.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.Targets.AtomicFile.Tests/AtomicFileTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.Targets.AtomicFile.Tests/AtomicFileTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | …gets.AtomicFile.Tests/AtomicWritesMultiProcessTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | …gets.AtomicFile.Tests/AtomicWritesMultiProcessTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | …og.Targets.AtomicFile.Tests/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | …og.Targets.AtomicFile.Tests/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLogAutoLoadExtension/AutoLoadTarget.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLogAutoLoadExtension/AutoLoadTarget.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLogAutoLoadExtension/Properties/AssemblyInfo.cs | 1 | using System.Reflection; | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.Targets.GZipFile.Tests/GZipFileTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.Targets.GZipFile.Tests/GZipFileTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LogMessageFormatterTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LogMessageFormatterTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LogManagerTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LogManagerTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/NLogTestBase.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/NLogTestBase.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LogLevelTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LogLevelTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/RegressionTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/RegressionTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/ConfigFileLocatorTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/ConfigFileLocatorTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 2401 | COMMENT | |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 2421 | COMMENT | |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 2441 | // if (enabled == 1) AssertDebugLastMessage("debug", "A|message1"); | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 2461 | // logger.Error(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture, "message{0}", this); | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 2481 | COMMENT | |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 2501 | // if (enabled == 1) AssertDebugLastMessage("debug", "A|messageeee2fffggg"); | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/GetLoggerTests.cs | 1 | // | COMMENT |
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/GetLoggerTests.cs | 21 | // THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" | COMMENT |
| 1932 more matches not shown… | ||||
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRITICAL⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/FileTargetTests.cs | 4616 | logger.Log(new LogEventInfo(LogLevel.Info, null, "789") { TimeStamp = NLog.Time.TimeSource.Current.Time. | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/FileTargetTests.cs | 4617 | logger.Log(new LogEventInfo(LogLevel.Info, null, "123") { TimeStamp = NLog.Time.TimeSource.Current.Time. | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/FileTargetTests.cs | 4619 | logger.Log(new LogEventInfo(LogLevel.Info, null, "123") { TimeStamp = NLog.Time.TimeSource.Current.Time. | CODE |
| CRITICAL | …s/NLog.UnitTests/Conditions/ConditionEvaluatorTests.cs | 327 | var bf = new System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter(); | CODE |
| CRITICAL | …s/NLog.UnitTests/Conditions/ConditionEvaluatorTests.cs | 367 | var bf = new System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary.BinaryFormatter(); | CODE |
| CRITICAL | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LayoutRenderers/ExceptionTests.cs | 469 | var task1 = System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Factory.StartNew(() => { throw new Exception("Test exception 1", new | CODE |
| CRITICAL | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LayoutRenderers/ExceptionTests.cs | 471 | var task2 = System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Factory.StartNew(() => { throw new Exception("Test exception 2", new | CODE |
| CRITICAL | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LayoutRenderers/ExceptionTests.cs | 517 | var task1 = System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Factory.StartNew(() => | CODE |
| CRITICAL | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LayoutRenderers/ExceptionTests.cs | 527 | var task2 = System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Factory.StartNew(() => | CODE |
| CRITICAL | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LayoutRenderers/ExceptionTests.cs | 582 | var task1 = System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Factory.StartNew(() => { throw new Exception("Test exception 1", new | CODE |
| CRITICAL | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LayoutRenderers/ExceptionTests.cs | 624 | var task1 = System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Factory.StartNew(() => | CODE |
| CRITICAL | …NLog.UnitTests/LayoutRenderers/Wrappers/CachedTests.cs | 128 | var s3 = l.Render(new LogEventInfo() { TimeStamp = NLog.Time.TimeSource.Current.Time.AddMinutes(2) }); | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | src/NLog/ScopeContext.cs | 830 | System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.CallContext.FreeNamedDataSlot(MappedContextDataSlotName); | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | src/NLog/ScopeContext.cs | 832 | System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.CallContext.LogicalSetData(MappedContextDataSlotName, newValue); | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | src/NLog/ScopeContext.cs | 837 | return System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.CallContext.LogicalGetData(MappedContextDataSlotName) as Dictionary | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | src/NLog/ScopeContext.cs | 889 | System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.CallContext.FreeNamedDataSlot(NestedContextDataSlotName); | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | src/NLog/ScopeContext.cs | 891 | System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.CallContext.LogicalSetData(NestedContextDataSlotName, nestedContext); | CODE |
| CRITICAL⚡ | src/NLog/ScopeContext.cs | 898 | return System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.CallContext.LogicalGetData(NestedContextDataSlotName) as LinkedList | CODE |
| CRITICAL | …og/Targets/FileAppenders/MinimalFileLockingAppender.cs | 83 | if (_nextArchiveTime < NLog.Time.TimeSource.Current.Time.AddMinutes(1) || _lastFileBirthTimeUtc == DateT | CODE |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIGH | …API/ASPNetBufferingWrapper/NormalPage.aspx.designer.cs | 3 | // This code was generated by a tool. | COMMENT |
| HIGH | …PNetBufferingWrapper/PageWithWarnings.aspx.designer.cs | 3 | // This code was generated by a tool. | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/AsyncTaskTargetTest.cs | 663 | // Step 1: Write event that will fail when timer fires for background-writer. | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/AsyncTaskTargetTest.cs | 666 | // Step 2: Flush that triggers timer immediately, and because BatchSize=1 then it first writes the failing L | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/AsyncTaskTargetTest.cs | 669 | // Step 3: Write next event. | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/AsyncTaskTargetTest.cs | 663 | // Step 1: Write event that will fail when timer fires for background-writer. | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/AsyncTaskTargetTest.cs | 666 | // Step 2: Flush that triggers timer immediately, and because BatchSize=1 then it first writes the failing L | COMMENT |
| LOW⚡ | tests/NLog.UnitTests/Targets/AsyncTaskTargetTest.cs | 669 | // Step 3: Write next event. | COMMENT |
| Severity | File | Line | Snippet | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOW | tests/NLog.UnitTests/LoggerTests.cs | 2228 | logger.Debug("Process order {" + param1 + "} for {" + param2 + "}", 13424, new { ClientId = 3001, ClientName | CODE |